The Symbol of the Mockingbird
12th May 2014 Nicole Botha
English Essay 10B
To Kill a Mockingbird Mrs Going
The symbol of the mockingbird represents innocence. ‘“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”’ These lines are the origin of the novel’s title and introduce one of the fundamental metaphors in the novel; the idea that “mockingbirds” are innocents who have been destroyed through contact with evil. In this essay innocents refer to people who are not responsible for or directly involved in an event yet suffer the consequences of it. There are three mockingbird’s in the novel; Boo, Tom and Jem.
Boo Radley is misjudged by Maycomb as a “malevolent phantom” whereas in reality he is a shy, innocent man who suffered under a tyrannically religious father. Mr Radley, a ‘“foot-washing Baptist”’ who believes that ‘“anything that’s pleasure is a sin”’ locked Boo up after he was convicted of “disorderly conduct”. Subsequently after the alleged scissors attack on Mr Radley, which would’ve been perfectly justified based on Mr Radley’s prior actions, stories circulated the town portraying Boo as a monster. Boo, in an attempt to seek a connection with the outside world, leaves gifts in a “knot-hole” for Scout and Jem and courageously saves them from Bob Ewell. Scout realises that if Boo gained recognition for his heroic act, he would be miserable, as ‘“it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird”’.
Tom Robinson suffered from the evils of prejudice and racism. Similarly to Boo, Tom had been in trouble with the law for “disorderly conduct”, although he was not to blame. Mr Link Deas apprises to the court that he ‘”ain't had a speck o'trouble outa him.”’Tom ‘”was glad”’ to offer his help to Mayella as he “felt right sorry” for her, something unheard
English Essay 10B
To Kill a Mockingbird Mrs Going
The symbol of the mockingbird represents innocence. ‘“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”’ These lines are the origin of the novel’s title and introduce one of the fundamental metaphors in the novel; the idea that “mockingbirds” are innocents who have been destroyed through contact with evil. In this essay innocents refer to people who are not responsible for or directly involved in an event yet suffer the consequences of it. There are three mockingbird’s in the novel; Boo, Tom and Jem.
Boo Radley is misjudged by Maycomb as a “malevolent phantom” whereas in reality he is a shy, innocent man who suffered under a tyrannically religious father. Mr Radley, a ‘“foot-washing Baptist”’ who believes that ‘“anything that’s pleasure is a sin”’ locked Boo up after he was convicted of “disorderly conduct”. Subsequently after the alleged scissors attack on Mr Radley, which would’ve been perfectly justified based on Mr Radley’s prior actions, stories circulated the town portraying Boo as a monster. Boo, in an attempt to seek a connection with the outside world, leaves gifts in a “knot-hole” for Scout and Jem and courageously saves them from Bob Ewell. Scout realises that if Boo gained recognition for his heroic act, he would be miserable, as ‘“it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird”’.
Tom Robinson suffered from the evils of prejudice and racism. Similarly to Boo, Tom had been in trouble with the law for “disorderly conduct”, although he was not to blame. Mr Link Deas apprises to the court that he ‘”ain't had a speck o'trouble outa him.”’Tom ‘”was glad”’ to offer his help to Mayella as he “felt right sorry” for her, something unheard